13 years today Hereford United topped the Conference after a 2-0 win at Stevenage.
Here's a reminder:
An exciting match at Broadhall Way saw plenty of chances and an outcome that satisfied another sizeable away following, with Hereford United making sure they remained top of the Nationwide Conference.
In front of 2,705, Hereford scored a goal in each half to secure the points, but had to overcome a penalty given after Anthony Elding went stumbling in the area under a challenge from Michael Rose. The ball, though, was going out of play and it was not a goalscoring opportunity.
The Stevenage Borough top scorer, with four goals in five matches, could not add to his total, though. His spot-kick was pushed away by United stopper Matt Baker, and with the ball loose in the area, Elding fired the rebound over the bar.
The Bulls, fielding the same starting eleven for the sixth game in succession, felt hard-done-by with the decision. The tackle appeared well timed, but referee Mr. G. Sutton of Lincolnshire signalled that a shirt pull was the offence on twenty one minutes.
Prior to the spot-kick, Hereford's Ben Smith had had his long-range volley pushed over the Stevenage crossbar by Nathan Abbey while a similar effort from Elding sailed wide at the other end.
The league leaders took the lead on twenty six minutes, thanks to Ben Smith. The former Southend United midfielder notched his fifth goal of the season as he weaved past a Boro' defender before firing a low shot onto the far post, and this bounced into the net.
Paul Parry could have made it 2-0 on the half hour, but he turned the ball inches over the top after Rob Purdie had beaten Simon Travis on the Hereford left.
After the break, Stevenage could have got back onto level terms but Baker made an excellent save from Peter Costello's fierce drive after seven minutes, but soon afterwards a long run took Michael Rose from his own half to the Boro' area, and Steve Guinan's shot went across goal from the byline.
The United attacker made no mistake nine minutes later, as he launched a right-footed effort into the roof of the net to double the advantage.
The game then looked beyond Stevenage, although Elding did test Baker with a header, and United could have added a third two minutes before time when substitute David Brown nodded a Paul Parry cross into the arms of Abbey.
Stevenage
Borough 0 - 2 Hereford United
An exciting match at Broadhall Way saw plenty of chances and an outcome that satisfied another sizeable away following, with Hereford United making sure they remained top of the Nationwide Conference.
In front of 2,705, Hereford scored a goal in each half to secure the points, but had to overcome a penalty given after Anthony Elding went stumbling in the area under a challenge from Michael Rose. The ball, though, was going out of play and it was not a goalscoring opportunity.
The Stevenage Borough top scorer, with four goals in five matches, could not add to his total, though. His spot-kick was pushed away by United stopper Matt Baker, and with the ball loose in the area, Elding fired the rebound over the bar.
The Bulls, fielding the same starting eleven for the sixth game in succession, felt hard-done-by with the decision. The tackle appeared well timed, but referee Mr. G. Sutton of Lincolnshire signalled that a shirt pull was the offence on twenty one minutes.
Prior to the spot-kick, Hereford's Ben Smith had had his long-range volley pushed over the Stevenage crossbar by Nathan Abbey while a similar effort from Elding sailed wide at the other end.
The league leaders took the lead on twenty six minutes, thanks to Ben Smith. The former Southend United midfielder notched his fifth goal of the season as he weaved past a Boro' defender before firing a low shot onto the far post, and this bounced into the net.
Paul Parry could have made it 2-0 on the half hour, but he turned the ball inches over the top after Rob Purdie had beaten Simon Travis on the Hereford left.
After the break, Stevenage could have got back onto level terms but Baker made an excellent save from Peter Costello's fierce drive after seven minutes, but soon afterwards a long run took Michael Rose from his own half to the Boro' area, and Steve Guinan's shot went across goal from the byline.
The United attacker made no mistake nine minutes later, as he launched a right-footed effort into the roof of the net to double the advantage.
The game then looked beyond Stevenage, although Elding did test Baker with a header, and United could have added a third two minutes before time when substitute David Brown nodded a Paul Parry cross into the arms of Abbey.
Written by Terry
Goodwin - 30th August 2003.
| Stevenage Borough | Hereford United |
| Nathan Abbey | Matt Baker |
| Simon Travis | Ryan Green |
| Lee Flynn | Michael Rose |
| Nathan Bunce (captain, off, 74 minutes) | Jamie Pitman |
| Barry Laker | Andy Tretton |
| Jamie Cook (off, 68 minutes) | Tony James (captain) |
| Peter Costello (off, 68 minutes) | Danny Williams |
| Rocky Baptiste | Ben Smith |
| Anthony Elding | Rob Purdie (off, 74 minutes) |
| Gary Holloway | Steve Guinan |
| Geoff Pitcher | Paul Parry |
| Subs | Subs |
| Justin Richards (off, 74 minutes) | Ben Scott |
| Matthew Langston | Richard Teesdale |
| Lionel Perez | Jordan King |
| Dean Carroll (on, 68 minutes) | Dean Craven |
| Clint Marcelle (on, 68 minutes) | David Brown (on, 74 minutes) |
| Yellow cards | Yellow cards |
| Peter Costello (foul, 25 minutes) | - |
| Simon Travis (foul, 81 minutes) | - |
| Red cards | Red cards |
| - | - |
| Scorers | Scorers |
| - | Ben Smith (26 minutes) |
| - | Steve Guinan (65 minutes) |
| Man of the Match | Matt Baker |
| Attendance | 2,705 |
| Referee | Mr. G. Sutton (Lincolnshire) |